TITLE:: New York, New York
RATING:: R (just in case. But only for a little language)
DISCLAIMER:: I don't own Palex or anything related to Degrassi. If I did…well…A LOT of things wouldn't have happened, that IS for sure. Oh! Yeah! I don't own Law and Order: SVU either or its characters. I'm just borrowing them for a moment to have some fun and write this piece I put together today while I was in class. Lol
SUMMARY:: People say that anything is possible in the streets of the fine city of New York. If it's true…Can two people who haven't spoken in almost a decade find their way to each other again? A young ADA who works for the SVU unit in New York and a young music producer meet again after over eight years.
FEEDBACK:: Yes, please! But I beg for mercy.
A/N:: Okay, so…this is pretty AU, people. Basically, all that happened in Degrassi ('till the last time Alex and Paige broke up) happened in this universe too. Alex and Paige haven't seen each other in almost nine years. They're both very different now, they both grew up. And because of those mysterious things of life…they meet again in New York. It's a pretty easy plot to follow. This is a sort of crossover with Law and Order: Special Victims Unit but there's just a little part, mostly it's just mentioned and it's obviously AU too. Don't worry, everything will be explained in due time. I hope you enjoy this short story.
- New York, New York—
New York was the city that never sleeps. Or that's what everyone says. There was something happening in New York all the time. Always. Always somebody was getting robed. Or somebody was getting their heart broken. In some places old lovers were being reunited by the strings of fate and babies were making their way into this cold world to bring joy to the lives of their parents.
That's why on a cold Friday night around midnight a dark haired girl entered her favorite 24/7 diner of the city to eat something after a long day at work.
'Fuck, it's cold outside,' the girl thought.
The dark eyed beauty sat in her regular booth and toyed with her phone while she waited for one of the friendly waitresses to come to take her order. She had a couple of e-mails from her assistant so she started answering them to pass the time.
"What can I get ya, honey?" Asked a waitress that appeared from out of nowhere with a fake polite smile. 'Damn it,' the girl thought. It was her least favorite waitress. She stopped herself from telling her 'I ain't your honey, bitch' and gave her an equally fake smile.
"Burger. No onions. And chilly cheese fries," the girl answered and the waitress wrote it down on her notepad.
"And to drink?"
She debated with herself for a moment. She really wanted a beer but she had some at home and she was driving that night.
"Just a Pepsi," replied and the bitchy waitress wrote it down before leaving.
The girl undid her messy bun and shook her head to free her hair. Usually at work she had it up in the ponytail or a bun so it didn't get in the way but outside she rarely restrained it.
"Fuck, that was a long day," the girl muttered tiredly as she ran her hands through her hair to make sure it didn't get stuck in her hoop earrings. She was lucky to be the boss so she usually just wore jeans and a shirt to work. In the few occasions when she actually had to wear a suit she felt caged, trapped inside the clothes and she didn't like it.
Her phone beeped and the girl looked down. She had a new text message from her assistant Charlie.
'VH1 called. Want an interview W/U 'bout Just 3 Chicks. What'd I say?'
Nodding absentmindedly the dark eyed girl typed an affirmative response. Her assistant answered with a 'Great. I'll arrange it, Boss' and that was the end of the conversation.
"Alex?" The sweetest voice in the world said and the girl, Alex, tensed up when she recognized it.
And of course Alex recognized that voice, specially after so many years.
'Fuck, has it really been almost a whole fucking decade since I heard that voice? Am I going crazy all the sudden?' Alex thought without turning around to check.
Alex slowly turned around in her seat and looked at the blonde girl standing a few feet from her booth. She didn't need to think twice about who she was, of course she knew who that girl was…The long shinny golden hair fell passed her shoulder now. The fair skin and sapphire blue eyes glowed with happiness and confidence, more than ever before (even though Alex recognized a glint of sadness and tiredness in those eyes too). The black pencil skirt and matching jacket hugged her natural curves smugly, complimenting perfectly the dark red button down shirt she was wearing. 'The years have been amazing to you, Michalchuck,' Alex thought unconsciously and noticed the blonde was holding a black briefcase in one hand and a long black coat in the other.
"Paige?" Alex asked, still too stunned to move or say anything else. Her ex-girlfriend looked older, more mature, but her physical appearance (except her clothes) was still of the teenager she had fallen in love with so many years ago.
The blonde's smile grew and stepped closer to the girl she had never forgotten. Alex still looked amazing as always. With the same dark mane Paige had always loved to touch, the short sleeved white shirt (and the obvious black wife beater under it) that showed her strong yet feminine arms. 'God, you still look so gorgeous,' the blonde thought and tried not to melt when dark brown orbs locked into hers.
"Hey…" Paige bit her lip to stop herself from smiling like a lunatic and took a deep breath to stop her eyes from watering. "God, it's so good to see you again, Alex. It's been so long." The blonde walked closer to the booth.
"What are you doing here?" Alex asked, not realizing the way it sounded. The smile left Paige's face.
"I live here. What are you doing here in New York?" Paige asked but in a nicer way. Alex realized how she had spoken and shook her head. Giving her ex-girlfriend a small smile she indicated the other side of the booth.
"I'm sorry. Please, sit down. Let's catch up a little bit," Alex said and her stomach did a back-flip when Paige gave her that special Alex-only smile. 'Fuck…'
"Sure. I just came to eat something. Have you eaten something yet?" Paige asked as she slid her briefcase and coat into the booth before sitting across Alex.
"Just ordered," Alex replied and made a sign to the waitress. "What'd you wanna eat?"
"A good grilled cheese sandwich sounds amazing right now," Paige said and chuckled. "I had a looong day."
The waitress finally walked over to them and Alex ordered a sandwich for Paige. She still couldn't believe that her ex-girlfriend was sitting across from her in a booth in New York, dressed in an expensive power suit that made her look like a lawyer and smiling at her with that special smile that had always been reserved just for her.
"So…you live here?" Alex finally asked when they were left alone again. She forced herself to look at Paige, even if it made her feel dizzy.
"Yeah. I've been living here for like…eight years," Paige replied and nodded. Alex's eyes widened a little. "What?"
"Eight years? You've been livin' here for eight years?" Alex asked, still not believing it.
"Yes. And you? What are you doing in New York, hun?" Paige asked, not realizing she had used the old term of endearment, with a smile.
"I live here too. Been here for the past six years," Alex replied and saw her ex's eyes widening in surprise.
"Really? Wow. That is…"
They fell silent. Neither of them knew what to say so they quietly waited for their food. The waitress finally showed up with the food and placed it on the table along with their drinks before leaving them alone again. The girls started eating without even looking at each other. Because what could any of them say? They had been living in the same fucking city for so many years and they had never seen each other until that night.
'How fuckin' freaky is this whole shit?' Alex thought as she ate her burger in silence.
'God, she's been around all this time. Why now? Why not before?' Paige kept asking herself as she ate her cheese sandwich. The blonde glanced at her beautiful companion and looked back down at her food. 'God…I'll never stop loving her, will I?' the blonde wondered and sighed. It had taken her a long time to admit she still loved her former girlfriend and in that moment, sharing a table with her, Paige couldn't deny that she still loved Alex. That she had never forgotten her…
Alex swallowed her burger in a minute and started on her fries, although her stomach had closed after Paige had showed up. She was eating mostly just to have something to do. Glancing at her gorgeous ex-girlfriend sitting across from her the dark haired girl knew she was screwed. Really screwed. Although she had tried very hard to ignore her feelings, she knew in her heart and mind that she still loved the blonde haired Goddess… 'Almost ten fuckin' years later and still in love with her like a fuckin' teenager,' Alex thought and decided to attack her fries just to distract herself.
"We both know this is stupid, right?" Paige said suddenly and Alex looked up at her, a little startled. "It's been almost ten years. We grew up. We should be able to talk like adults. Shouldn't we?"
"Guess so…" was all Alex was capable of saying.
The two girls stared at each other for what seemed to be the longest time until Paige cleared her throat and took a sip from her 7Up.
"Do you want to go first or should I…"
"I don't know. You first…if you want," Alex said.
"Okay. I'll start…" Paige took a deep breath and pushed away her now empty plate. "So…This is harder than I thought. I guess I should start after we…you know." The blonde tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued. "I went back to therapy for a while. I guess I wanted somebody to help me reorganize my life a little bit. My therapist told me about this group, an organization that helps people who suffered any kind of sexual assault." Alex's eyes widened but Paige looked right at her and continued. "I started working for this organization. It was mostly just paperwork and stuff, ya know? But it was good. I had a job and everything was in order. The organization made this project and a DA and a detective from New York who were friends with the founder came to…ya know. Talk and stuff. The DA was Alexandra Cabot, I'm sure you've heard of her."
Alex thought for a moment and then nodded. She didn't watch the news usually but checked them out from time to time and she remembered seeing the famous DA of New York.
"Yeah. I know who she is."
"She liked my attitude and we started talking. She asked me if I ever thought of becoming a lawyer and I was like…No way." Paige smiled remembering and shook her head at her silliness. "Whenever we weren't working on the project she was teaching me stuff. And just a couple of months later she made me a proposal I honestly couldn't refuse. She brought me here to New York." The blonde looked out the window to the city she loved so much and remembered how in awe she was when she first got there. "She bought me a small department and got me into NYU. She and Olivia literally welcomed me into their little family."
"Who is Olivia?" Alex asked, confused.
"Her wife. She's a NYPD detective. One of the most awesome women I have ever met in my life, hun. The work she does is incredible," Paige comment, pouring all her respect and love for the older woman in her words. "They welcomed me into their family and helped with everything I needed."
"You, Paige Michalchuck, became a lawyer?" Alex asked in disbelieve, her eyes wide as saucers.
Paige simply laughed.
"I know, right? Who would've thought, huh?" The blonde chuckled. "Anyway, yes. I even managed to finish early with Alex's help. They even made me their daughter's Godmother. Can you believe that?" Both girls chuckled at the comment. "Truth be told, Alex became like the big sister I always wanted to have, you know? She's incredible and a remarkable woman."
"That's amazing. And so what…you've got your own office now or something like that?" Alex asked, feeling truly curious. Who would've thought that Paige Michalchuck, Queen Be of Degrassi High, would become a lawyer?
"I'm an ADA. Assistant District Attorney, that's it. When I got out of school Alex made sure I was ready to kick ass. She was a little bit hesitant when I asked to work for her in Olivia's unit but she understood my reasons," Paige said and swallowed a long gulp of 7Up to calm her nerves.
"What unit?" Alex asked and she noticed Paige had tensed up a little bit.
"SVU, Alex," the blonde finally answered but the brunette simply frowned, confused. She never heard of that. "You've never heard of the Special Victims Unit, Alex?"
"No. I don't watch the news often and never really pay attention. I keep myself honest and those who work for me honest and then don't pay attention," Alex confessed and shrugged.
Paige chuckled and nodded.
"The detectives of the Special Victims Unit have one of the hardest jobs in the field, ya know?" Paige continued and she saw Alex still didn't know what she was talking about. "Sex crimes, hun. They investigate sex crimes. Alex is the DA. I work with them as an ADA along with another ADA, Casey."
"Holy shit," Alex breathed out, shocked. "Are you serious?"
"Like a heart attack, Alex. Of course I'm serious," Paige said and rolled her eyes playfully. "I know what you're probably thinking but…It's a really hard job, yes, but…It makes me feel alive, Alex," the blonde added and Alex was sure she had never seen that look in her ex-girlfriend's face. "When I'm in that courtroom, doing everything in my power to bring a criminal to justice…It's incredible." Paige seemed to think for a second and frowned. "No. You know what it's even more incredible? And the real reward of this job? When you see the face of a victim after the jury has said 'guilty'."
Alex honestly didn't know what to say after that. She had understood how hard her own experience had been on Paige, and she understood enough to know that helping other victims meant a huge deal for her. Alex honestly couldn't believe that this person in front of her was Paige. She was so different, and yet the same Paige she had fallen in love with, that it was impossible not to feel her heart growing with love for the other girl. She had grown strong, and confident, and determined to help other people.
Not being able to stop herself (not that she really wanted to) Alex reached out and grabbed Paige's hand. Looking right into those pools of blue she had always loved so much, she knew what she had to say.
"I am so proud of you, Paige. What you do is amazing and I can see you love doing it. I truly am proud of you," Alex said honestly and received another special Alex-only smile.
"Thank you. Besides having a good loss-win ratio is a great ego booster," Paige joked trying to make the situation lighter. Alex chuckled and slowly shook her head at her.
"Oh there's the Paige I know," Alex joked and grinned.
"I am still me, hun," Paige said. "So now it's your turn. What've you been up to?"
"Nuh huh…There's somethin' you haven't told me about yet," Alex said and Paige gave her a raised eyebrow. "Love life? Single? Married?" The brunette tried very hard to sound nonchalant while asking those questions but inside she was starting to die a little bit with the mere idea of Paige being with someone else, and possibly married.
"Love life? What love life?" Paige snorted and shook her head. "I don't have a love life, hun. I should have free time for that to happen and I don't. Sure I had a few dates but nothing else. From time to time Alex and Liv sort of force me to go on a couple of dates or to get one but honestly…" Paige took a deep breath and gave her ex a look that could melt an iceberg. "How could I pay any attention to the girls and boys Alex and Liv set me up with when I never fell out of love in the first place…"
'Holy shit! Does that mean that…' Alex's mouth opened to say something but Paige interrupted her before she could get any sound out.
"So, now you know. Now I believe it's your turn, Miss Nuñez," Paige teased with a grin at Alex's stunned expression.
Finally recovering Alex cleared her throat, emptied her glass of Pepsi and looked at her ex-girlfriend, and for the first time in the last twenty minutes she realized that she was still holding Paige's hand. The blonde didn't seem to mind it so Alex just left it there.
"Well…a little over six years ago I got this letter at work. I was working at a skate's shop," Alex clarified although Paige hadn't asked her to. "Anyway, I got this letter from this lawyer here in New York. He asked me to come see him immediately 'cause he had somethin' very important to tell me, right? So since my boss and friend Bill had to come 'cause of some deal he was going to make hoping to expand the business we came together. When I got to see this lawyer he was one of those really fancy ones, ya know? Those that work for really rich people?"
"Yeah, I know that kind. Saw lots of those in court," Paige said and nodded.
"I figured. Anyway…this dude tells me I'm the heir of this huge fortune that my father left me," Alex said and Paige's eyes widened in shock.
"Your…father? But I thought he…ya know, had left you and your mom when you were little," Paige said carefully, knowing how it always made the other girl upset to talk about the subject.
"Yeah well…turns out history ain't always as we think it is," Alex said and shrugged. At Paige's questioning look she continued. "I was too little to remember when we moved to Degrassi. Turns out that my mom moved us so my dad wouldn't be able to find us."
"What…?" Paige gasped. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Yeah." Alex looked away for a second but then she looked back at her ex-girlfriend. "My dad came back to look for us. For me. He came back for me, Paige. But mom had already moved us away."
"Oh my God…That's…terrible."
"I know. When the lawyer showed me the letters, the bills of P.I's, everything he had done to try to find us…I couldn't believe it," Alex said. "By the time he did find me, he was too sick with cancer and didn't last long enough for me to know the truth."
"Oh Alex…" Paige squeezed the hand she was still holding.
"So this lawyer tells me I'm his only heir and that I have a huge fortune waitin' for me. Apparently my dad made a huge fortune in the stock market and shit. So after arranging everything with the lawyer I went back to Degrassi. I knew mom would still be there." Alex frowned and shook her head. "When I found her she was so wasted that she didn't even bother to hide the truth."
"Oh Alex, I'm so sorry to hear that, hun… I'm so-" Paige tried to comfort her but Alex's hand squeezed hers and she stopped.
"It's okay. I made my peace with the past," Alex said and Paige felt her heart swell with love at how much the other girl had grown up.
"So…what happened with…"
"With the money?" Alex asked with a small smile and Paige nodded. "Well…I decided to do something good with it. And with myself. I took a couple of courses of business management and about five years ago opened my own record label. You know how I always loved music."
"Really? Oh my God, that's awesome," Paige exclaimed excitedly.
"I know! In the last couple of years Sapphire Stars Records has become pretty important. We're booking artists from all over the country and everything's goin' great, ya know?"
"Sapphire Stars Records? Is that how you named your label?" Paige asked and Alex nodded. The blonde knew those words sounded familiar but she couldn't place them. "That name really sounds familiar."
Alex simply gave her a raised eyebrow and waited until realization hit her ex. The blonde's eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock.
"You…you named it…"
Alex's hand, which was still holding Paige's, finally let go and reached out to caress the blonde's cheek. As her thumb caressed the fair smooth skin the brunette said.
"I named it after my favorite stars, Paigey-Paige." A thumb caressed a blonde eyebrow and the blonde licked her lips unconsciously. When Alex's hand started stroking her hair Paige leaned into the gentle touch, her eyes fluttering close.
"How…how did you call me?" Paige asked, half-whispering.
"I think I called you Paigey-Paige," Alex whispered. They both knew that Alex hadn't called her that since a long while before they broke up. The blonde had always loved it when her then girlfriend called her that.
"I always loved it when you called me that, Lexie," Paige said, using the old nickname that only she was allowed to use.
Alex's phone beeped indicating it had low battery, breaking up the moment. When both girls pulled back and the brunette checked her phone, she noticed the time.
"Shit. It's almost 2 am," Alex said.
"Oh. Guess you've got to go, huh?" Paige asked, not wanting them to part yet. Alex opened her mouth to answer but the blonde took a deep breath and added before the brunette could say anything: "Is it totally lame of me to say I don't want you to go yet? Can't we just keep talking? Now that I found you again I sorta don't wanna let you go."
"I was goin' to say that my place is a few blocks away. We could go there and have some coffee and keep talkin'," Alex said, a winning grin spreading across her lips when Paige blushed slightly and nodded. "And you could never be lame, Counselor."
"Did you drive here?" Paige asked, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach when Alex called her Counselor.
"Yeah. My car is just outside," Alex answered as she stood up and pulled out her wallet. "Don't even think 'bout it, mujer," the brunette added when she saw Paige pulling out her wallet from the pocket of her jacket.
"But Lex-"
"Don't," Alex said firmly and left a couple of bills on the table. The brunette grabbed her coat from where she lad left it beside her on the booth and put it on while Paige did the same across from her. "You're followin' me in your car?"
"Yeah, if that's okay," Paige said and grabbed her briefcase after making sure the coat covered her well.
"It's okay."
- New York, New York—
While Alex drove her car towards her house she couldn't stop herself from wondering what she was going to do. Paige had practically implied she was still in love with her, and Alex knew she still loved the blonde. But what did that mean? Did that mean there was still a chance for them, even after all those years? And if there was…would it work? Would they work out even though they had such different lives?
'This is so fuckin' crazy,' Alex thought.
In her own car Paige was thinking about the girl driving ahead of her. She knew she had gone out on a limb by practically saying she was still in love with her ex. But the way Alex had smiled at her, and touched her, gave Paige hope. Maybe the brunette still felt something for her, maybe there was still a chance for them…
Paige bit her lower lip and frowned. 'Liv an Alex are right. I'll never know if we still have a chance if I don't take a risk…'
Paige followed the brunette into the three car garage and turn off her car as the electronic door closed behind them. Exiting the car Alex led her through a door and down a corridor that led them straight to the big and beautiful kitchen. The blonde raised an eyebrow when she noticed the kitchen seemed untouched.
"You were never one to cook, Lexie," Paige teased with a smile and Alex rolled her eyes.
"Why do you think every diner and deliver boy in a ten blocks radio know me by name?" Alex joked and both girls laughed. "Go through that door. It's the living room. I'll make us some coffee."
"Sure, hun."
Paige walked into the living room and loved what she saw. The walls were white and most of the furniture was made of dark wood, she suspected oak by the looks of it. There were two comfy black velvet armchairs and a huge black sofa in front of the huge flat TV. The shelves on both sides of the TV were filled with DVDs and even a few books. Paige was definitely impressed. After shrugging off her coat and leaving her briefcase on the coffee table the blonde sat on the sofa and waited.
Alex showed up a few minutes later holding a tray with coffee mugs and a plate of cookies for them. The brunette placed it on the coffee table and sat next to the blonde on the sofa.
"Thank you, hun," Paige said and accepted the mug from her ex-girlfriend with a smile. "So…you didn't tell me everything back in the diner, Lexie."
"What didn't I tell you?" Alex asked and frowned.
"How is your love life?" Being a lawyer paid off because she could look nonchalant while asking what was in her opinion the most important question of all. "I mean, it's only fair, don't you think?"
Alex grinned and nodded before swallowing some of her coffee.
"It is fair, Counselor." The brunette took a deep breath before answering and decided to go all out. "Had a few dates and dated a girl for a few months but it was nothing serious. They all found out that I was too 'workaholic' for their taste… And that it was impossible for me to fall in love with them 'cause I never fell out of love in the first place…" Alex added using Paige's own words.
Paige's eyes widened and her mouth fell open at hearing her own words thrown back at her.
"You mean…"
"If you meant what I think you meant back in the diner, then yes," Alex confirmed and scooted closer to the blonde.
"I meant it," Paige hurried to say and nodded. "And really? You still…" Gathering courage the ADA asked: "You still love me?"
"I do," Alex replied, feeling emboldened after hearing Paige truly meant it. "You still love me?"
"Yes."
Both girls left their mugs on the coffee table at the same time and scooted closer until their thighs were touching. Alex licked her lips when her eyes focused on the pink lips of the girl in front of her. Paige's gaze shifted from Alex's eyes to her full lips. 'I haven't tasted those lips in almost ten years…' the blonde thought. 'Just do it, Paige. Just do it…'
And just as Paige leaned in closer to connect their lips, Alex asked:
"What does this mean? Are we gonna try to be together again? Will it work out this time? 'Cause I don't think I can lose you one more time, Paigey-Paige," the brunette said and the blonde's heart swelled with love even more.
"You won't. And if you're willing to be with me again, then I'm game. I lost you once before and I ain't loosing you again, Miss Nuñez," Paige said with a special Alex-only smile.
"I guess we can think and keep talkin' later," was all Alex said before crashing their lips together…
And in that moment both girls thought the same thing. 'Heavenly…'
- New York, New York—
I know I kinda screwed that ending…But I chose to leave it like that. Open for a possible sequel…is people demands it. So please review and let me think what you thought. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed it.